Lightning demons (Defiance)
Enemies article |image=Defiance-BonusMaterial-EnemyArt-Renders-13-LightningDemon.png |caption=Lightning demons in Defiance. |introduced= Legacy of Kain: Defiance (2003) |appearances= Defiance }} Lightning Demons, also known as Gray Demons were a Demon-variant enemy class featured in ''Legacy of Kain: Defiance'' and the latest Lightning/Electricity-affiliated demon variant enemy to be seen after several similar predecessors. The Lightning demons were powerful creatures originating in the Demon Realm who were able to cross over to the Spectral and Material Realms through the weakening of dimensional boundaries caused by the Corruption of the Pillars -or occasionally through summoning spells. They were encountered by Raziel and Kain in the Blood Omen era in the final stages of Legacy of Kain: Defiance. Profile Lightning Demons were a demon variant with an elemental affinity for lightning or electricity who were encountered in Legacy of Kain: Defiance after the appearance of several similar predecessors in previous games. They were among the largest and most powerful of the enemies encountered in the game and could attack both physically with claw swipes and a number of electricity-related attacks. Lightning Demons were hostile creatures native to the Demon Dimension. They were tall and thin, with grey or dark, purplish bodies. In place of hands they had large pincers that conducted electricity. They could discharge this offensively both in melee attacks and by firing ranged attacks. They were very fast and would often attack in groups. Lighting demons were powerful enemies at all ranges, employing a range of attacks that could easily cause major damage: including powerful lunge and charge attacks at close-range and at lightning projectiles at longer ranges along with teleportation abiltiies. Although quicker and more agile than Fire demons, Lighting demons were still fairly slow moving, and could be easily sidestepped and outflanked. Like other demons, they could follow Raziel into the Spectral Realm and could also create Combat barriers to prevent escape. Although similar Lightning-affiliated Demons had been seen in previous titles, the Lightning Demons in Defiance were first encountered by Raziel in the chapter Battle Kain as Raziel returned to the Vampire Citadel with Janos Audron seeking the Spirit Forge. They later confronted Kain in Return to the Guardian Citadel when he was blasted into the Demon Dimension by Raziel - with these being the first demons he encountered after being mocked by the disembodied voices of a group of Hylden. They continued to attack as he escaped the Demon Realm and Avernus Catacombs Like other Demons the Fire Demons were natives of the Demon Realm but could be encountered in either the Spectral or Material Realms as the breakdown of the Binding and the Corruption of the Pillars weakened dimensional boundaries, allowing them to cross over. Abilities Defiance-Abilities-LightningDemon-CrackOfLightning.png|Crack of Lightning Defiance-Abilities-LightningDemon-CrackOfLightning2.png Defiance-Abilities-LightningDemon-CrackOfLightning3.png Defiance-Abilities-LightningDemon-ElectricalDisplacement.png|Electrical Displacement *Crack of Lightning - A slightly homing projectile attack created from electrical energy focused using the demons pincers. *Electrical Displacement - A teleportation attack where the Lighting demon dissolves and reforms at another point for defense or attack purposes. Development }} Notes *The Lightning Demons and other and other Demon classes were not explicitly named in game, however the overarching "Demons" creature grouping is mentioned in Legacy of Kain: Defiance: Prima's Official Strategy Guide along with the sub groupings "Lightning Demons" and "Fire Demons". Game files list the class as "lightdemon". **Both the "Electrical Displacement" and "Crack of Lightning" abilities of the Lightning Demons are explicitly identified in Legacy of Kain: Defiance: Prima's Official Strategy Guide. Neither was seen in Soul Reaver 2 although the rest of the melee attacks used largely match the moveset used by Soul Reaver 2 Lightning Demons - although some attacks are missing. **Lightning Demons and the overarching Demon creature-type are based upon the Demons of myth and folklore - supernatural entities which are often seen as malevolent in Christian and Abrahamic religious traditions. In later Western mythology demons are particularly associated with fire and a red horned appearance, could be 'summoned' to appear, and were blamed for tricking or possessing humans. Demon at Wikipedia Demonology at Wikipedia Christian Demonology at Wikipedia Demonic Possession at Wikipedia *Both Fire Demons and Lightning Demons were previously listed as titles for similar demon classes in Soul Reaver 2 - listed as "Fire Demons" and "Lightning Demons" respectively. The Defiance classes are notably similar to their predecessors and could be considered to represent the same classes, however there are notable differences between Soul Reaver 2 and Defiance variants, with the Defiance variants sporting a much darker skin tone - which appeared to be a purple-maroon-brown tone compared to the grey-lightbrown seen in the Soul Reaver 2 class - along with a number of brighter blue or purple highlights - notably on the chest and rear spikes. Their sharpened teeth also appeared to be much better defined compared to the single piece 'beaks' seen in Soul Reaver 2. BO1-NPC-LightningSpitter-Attack.gif|''BO1'' Lightning Spitter SR2-Enemy-LightningDemon-Close.PNG|''SR2'' Lightning Demon Lightning Demon in the demon realm.jpg|''Defiance'' Lightning Demon **Gameplay changes have changed some of the Demons attributes from those of Soul Reaver 2: ***Demons in Defiance are no longer able to talk after their open taunting at the end of Soul Reaver 2 - this has subsequently been explained by developers as the talking demons being a consequence of Hylden possession before the visual effect had been designed. The Hylden and Demons at DCabDesign (by Raina Audron/Daniel Cabuco) The Demons. Mining them for gold. What could they give us? at DCabDesign (by Tim Controls Me/Daniel Cabuco) ***The [[Combat (Defiance)|combat of Defiance]] being solely weapons based also means that there are no unique unarmed finishers on demons such as the neck twist or crouched impale as seen in Soul Reaver 2. ***The Defiance Lightning Demons do not have a soul for Raziel to feed on however but they can still be used to feed the Soul Reaver or Wraith Blade. Developer comments suggest this was done for gameplay purposes and was not intended to indicate a lack of souls. Answers to questions from the Defiance team at Eidos Forums (by Chris Bruno) *The Lightning Demons of Defiance are notably similar or related to several other Gray/Electric Demon variants. Originally, Blood Omen featured the similarly colored and similarly lightning/electricity related Lightning spitters which arguably were the inspiration for later Lightning Demon variants. Soul Reaver 2 featured another different grey demon - explicitly named Lightning Demons - these were very similar to the forms of the Defiance Lightning Demons but with some notable changes. Ultimately it is unclear if these similar variants were intended to be the same Demon sub-species (with differing artistic interpretations, or perhaps at different stages in its life-cycle) or if they were different sub-species altogether. *The Legacy of Kain: Defiance: Prima's Official Strategy Guide official strategy guide offers the following further comments of Demons, explaining their origins and plane shifting abilities: "After the corruption of the Pillars of Nosgoth, the barriers between dimensions began to weaken.Slowly Nosgoth began to be overrun with dark creatures from outside the bounds of normal reality. These massive creatures are a prime example of the types of beings that now roam and stalk the face of Nosgoth. Appearing in two major varieties, these highly aggressive behemoths can easily move from the spectral to material plane at will, because of the weakening of the boundaries between the planes themselves." The section on Lightning demons specifically offers the following: "This variant of abyssal demon seemingly has been spawned from lightning pummeled depth of some wind blown and storm enraged dimension. This demon prefers close range usually but can easily supplement itself at long range with its quick and accurate lightning projectiles. Whether at close or medium range, the demon's options of attack are many in number and all brutal." *Like other Demon variants, Fire Demons were native to the Demon Realm and were affiliated with the Hylden. Gallery Defiance-Enemies-LightningDemon.png|Lightning demon in the Avernus Catacombs Lightning Demon in the demon realm.jpg|Lightning demon in the Demon Realm Defiance-Model-Character-Lightdemon.png Defiance-BonusMaterial-EnemyArt-Renders-13-LightningDemon.png|Lightning demons in Bonus materials Defiance-Prerelease-IGN¦Gamespy-064I-07Oct03-Avernus-DemonRealm-LightningDemon-FireDemon.jpg|Demons in prerelease materials See also *Demons **Lightning demons (Soul Reaver 2) **Demons (Blood Omen) (Lightning Spitters) **Fire demons (Defiance) **Fire demons (Soul Reaver 2) *Demon Realm *Hylden References Browse Category:Enemies Category:Enemies/Defiance Category:Enemies/Defiance enemies Category:Enemies/Enemies Category:Defiance